Caged By the Lich

18. Olvaar

18

OLVAAR

I lean back in my chair, surveying the room of advisors before me. Their faces are a mix of anticipation and fear—as they should be. But my gaze keeps drifting to Astrid, standing quietly in the corner. Her presence has become... comforting, in a way I'm not entirely comfortable with.

"The southern territories," I begin. "We need to solidify our hold there before winter sets in."

My top general, a brutish demon named Karthak, immediately launches into a tirade about troop movements and supply lines. I tune him out, my mind already three steps ahead. Instead, I find myself watching Astrid's reaction. Her brow furrows slightly, those green-gold eyes narrowing as she processes the information.

"Astrid," I say suddenly, cutting Karthak off mid-sentence. The room goes dead silent. "What do you think?"

She blinks, clearly surprised at being addressed. But she recovers quickly, stepping forward with a confidence that sends a thrill through me.

"The southern territories are the most mountainous of the continent." She looks from me to Karthak. "But that doesn't seem to be taken into consideration. Between the range, the coming winter, and the obvious threat of the other lords and ladies that we've already faced, there are some holes that need to be filled."

I can't help the smirk that tugs at my lips. "Interesting perspective. Continue."

As Astrid outlines her strategy, I watch my advisors' reactions. Some look outraged at a human offering counsel, while others seem intrigued. But I don't give a fuck what they think. Astrid's plan is brilliant—a perfect blend of diplomacy and subtle threat that could save us countless resources.

"Implement it," I order when she finishes. The room erupts in whispers, but I silence them with a glare. "Astrid will oversee the negotiations personally."

Her eyes widen slightly at that, but she nods, accepting the responsibility without hesitation. Pride swells in my chest—an unfamiliar, almost uncomfortable feeling.

As the meeting concludes, I catch myself seeking Astrid's approval. It's a strange reversal, one that both thrills and unsettles me. When did her opinion start to matter so damn much?

I dismiss everyone but her, needing a moment alone to sort out these conflicting emotions. As the door closes behind the last advisor, I turn to face her fully.

"You continue to surprise me, little rebel," I say, my voice rougher than intended.

She raises an eyebrow, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "Is that a compliment, Olvaar?"

The sound of my name on her lips sends a jolt through me. Fuck, I'm in trouble.

I have kicked myself no less than a hundred times when she was offering herself up to me. But I just couldn't risk her regretting it.

"Take it how you will." I stand, offering her my hand. "Ready to head up to the study?"

"Always ready for that kind of puzzle." She takes my hand and I have the urge to yank her into me, feel her pressed up against me.

But I manage to have some semblance of self control as I lead Astrid up the stairs to the room we spend most of our time together in. As we enter the room, I gesture to the large oak table covered in maps and documents.

"Let's review some of the city plans first," I say, my voice gruffer than intended as I try to reign in my desires.

Astrid nods, moving to stand beside me. Her washes over me, reminding me of what it was like to have her pressed against me, my arms around her in that sparring ring. Or when my mouth was on her neck that first night and I didn't take enough advantage. I clench my jaw, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand.

We pour over the maps, discussing guard rotations and shipments. But as Astrid leans in to examine a particular region, I find my gaze drawn to her. The way she bites her lower lip in concentration, her brow furrowing slightly as she considers our options. It's... distracting.

I shake my head, trying to clear these thoughts. But then she turns to reach for a document, and my eyes are drawn to the elegant curve of her neck. The pale skin there looks impossibly soft, and for a moment, I'm seized by the urge to run my fingers along it.

"Olvaar?" Her voice snaps me back to reality.

I blink, forcing myself to look at where she's pointing on the map and decide to just trust her on this one. "Yes, that's... that's a good idea," I manage, hating how unsure I sound.

Astrid raises an eyebrow, clearly noticing my distraction. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," I growl, more harshly than I intend. I see her flinch slightly, and immediately regret my tone. Softer, I add, "Just... thinking about the implications of this move."

She nods, seemingly accepting this explanation, and turns back to the map. But now I'm hyper-aware of her every movement. The way she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, the slight furrow of her brow as she concentrates.

I force myself to focus on the strategy, on the cold, hard facts of warfare and politics. But my traitorous mind keeps drifting back to Astrid. To the warmth of her presence beside me, to the spark of intelligence in her eyes as she outlines her ideas.

But soon, my attention drifts, and I can't take it. "How about a breath of fresh air?" I ask her.

The abrupt stop has Astrid looking confused, but soon, she nods. "Yeah, that sounds nice."

I lead Astrid out into the courtyard, the cool night air a welcome relief from the stuffy room. As we round a corner, the sound of grunting and flesh hitting flesh reaches my ears. Malakai and Kaz are going at it in the sparring ring, a small crowd of guards cheering them on.

Astrid's eyes widen, her body tensing beside me. "Is this... normal?" she whispers.

I smirk. "For those two? Absolutely." I watch as Malakai, my scaled spymaster, takes a hard hit to the jaw. Kaz, ever the politician, fights dirty when he needs to.

To my surprise, Astrid steps closer to the ring, her eyes glued to the fight. There's a hunger in her gaze I've never seen before. It stirs something primal in me.

"Fuck!" Malakai shouts as Kaz pins him. The crowd erupts in cheers.

Kaz, grinning like an idiot, spots me. "Hey V! Care for a round?"

Before I can decline, Astrid nudges me forward. "Go on," she says, a challenge in her eyes. "Show me what you've got."

I can't resist that. Shrugging off my jacket and stripping off my tunic, I step into the ring. Kaz bounces on his feet, still high from his victory.

"Don't go easy on me, old man," he taunts.

I bare my teeth in a feral grin. "Wouldn't dream of it."

We circle each other, trading light jabs. Kaz is quick, but I've got reach on him. As we dance around the ring, he leans in close during a grapple.

"Southern beaches are secured," he mutters. "Troops are in position."

I nod imperceptibly, then use his momentary distraction to sweep his legs out from under him. Kaz hits the ground hard, and I'm on him in an instant, my forearm pressed against his throat.

"Yield," I growl.

Kaz taps out, laughing as I help him up. The crowd cheers, but the only reaction I care about is Astrid's. She's clapping, her eyes bright with excitement. It sends a thrill through me that I quickly tamp down.

We head back inside, Astrid chattering about the fight. As we pass a group of guards that don't see us, I catch a snippet of conversation that makes my blood run cold.

"...waste of time, keeping that human bitch around. I bet she's only good for one thing-"

I move before I can think, my hand closing around the speaker's throat. The demon chokes and sputters as I lift him off the ground.

"What was that?" I snarl. The room falls silent, all eyes on us.

The demon claws at my hand, his face turning purple. I squeeze harder, feeling the satisfying crunch of cartilage beneath my fingers.

"Let me make something very clear," I address the room, never taking my eyes off the guard. "Astrid is under my protection. Any disrespect towards her will be met with swift and brutal punishment."

To emphasize my point, I slam the demon into the wall, leaving a sizable dent. He crumples to the floor, gasping for air.

I turn to face the others, my eyes blazing with barely contained rage. "Does anyone else have something to say about her?"

The silence is deafening. Even Astrid stands stock-still, her eyes wide with shock.

"No?" I purse my lips. "Pity." Walking back towards Astrid, I give her a smile as I come up to her side. "Let's go."

I escort Astrid to her rooms, my hand resting lightly on the small of her back. The warmth of her seeps through the thin fabric of her dress, tempting me and I have to tamp it down. As we reach her door, she turns to face me, her green-gold eyes searching mine.

"You were a good fighter," she says softly. "I liked getting to see it."

I give her a smirk. "I'll let you watch me beat the shit out of Kaz any day."

She shakes her head at me, a small smile playing on her lips. "Goodnight, Olvaar."

The sound of my name on her lips will never stop hitting me so hard. I'm certain of it. It makes me want to do the dirtiest things to that girl. I watch as she slips into her room, the door closing behind her with a soft click.

Fuck.

I stride to my own chambers, slamming the door behind me. The room suddenly feels too small, too confining. All I want to do is go back to hers.

What the fuck am I doing? I've killed demons for less than looking at me wrong, yet here I am, defending a human. And not just any human – Astrid.

The thought of her name alone sends a surge of... something through me. Something I can't quite name, something I've never felt before.

I grab a bottle from my minibar, not bothering with a glass as I take a long pull. The burn in my throat is a welcome distraction from the turmoil in my head.

These emotions... they're foreign, uncomfortable. I've spent centuries building my reputation, cultivating fear and respect. And now? Now I'm risking it all for a pair of green-gold eyes and a sharp tongue.

I take another drink, welcoming the familiar haze of alcohol. But even that can't dull the memory of Astrid's smile, the pride in her eyes as she watched me fight.

I need to figure this out. These feelings, whatever they are, they're a liability. I can't have them surging like this over and over. Which means I am going to have to learn how to get a handle on them, just like when I first came into my magic.

And then I need to figure out what I'm doing with Astrid. Because I can't keep up with the limbo we are in.

It's going to be the death of me.